United States Environmental Protection Agency Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory Cincinnati OH 45268 Research and Development EPA/600/S2-84/181 May 1984 &ER& Project Summary Performance Evaluation of Full-Scale Hazardous Waste Incinerators A. Trenholm, P. Gorman, and G. Jungclaus This report describes a study to evaluate current baseline performance of hazardous waste incinerators. Tests were conducted at eight full scale facilities to characterize all feed and effluent streams. Pollutants measured included EPA Appendix VIII hazardous compounds, particulates, hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, and totaj hydrocarbons. The data were analyzed to address questions on Destruction and Removal Efficiency (DRE), products of incomplete combustion (PIC), pollutant emission levels, performance of air pollution control systems, and relationships of process parameters to destruction efficiency and emission levels. A large base of data on performance of hazardous waste incinerators was accumulated, and many possible relationships between parameters were explored. Conclusions included: DREs were generally above 99.99%; measured DREs tended to be higher when concentration of the hazardous compound in the waste was higher; the most frequently observed PICs were benzene, toluene, chloroform, tetrachloroethylene, and napthalene; the particulate EPA regulation of 180 mg/Nm3 was not routinely met; and the hydrogen chloride EPA regulation almost always met. This Project Summary was developed by EPA's Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory, Cincinnati. OH, to announce key findings of the retearch project that is fully documented tn a separate report of the same tftfe (ate Project Report ordering information at back). Introduction The EPA's Office of Solid Waste is conducting a Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) as part of EPA's hazardous waste incinerator regulatory development activities. The RIA includes definition of the baseline performance of incinerators operating under normal conditions. The goal of this study was to establish current baseline levels of performance through measurements of pollutant emissions (including over 40 Appendix VIII compounds) at eight hazardous waste incinerators and to analyze the data generated from these measurements to identify performance trends. The primary measures of performance during this program were DRE for principal organic hazardous constituents (POHCs) and removal of HCI and particulates from the stack gases. Specific topics that were addressed were: (a) baseline DREs that could be achieved by incinerators under "normal"operating conditions; (b) emissions of PICs; (c) the impacts of incinerator operating condi- tions such as temperature, residence time, heat input, and excess air on DREs; (d) the impact of waste feed characteris- tics on DREs; (e) HCI and particulate emissions from incinerators with varied operating conditions and control systems; and (f) the effect of air pollution control systems on the emission of POHCs, HCI, and particulates. The study encompassed a wide array of activities centered around testing at the eight incinerator facilities. These activities included evaluation and, in some cases, modification of samplirtg and analysis methods; multimedia sampling ------- and analysis, and extensive data evaluation to assess the performance of hazardous waste incinerators. Standard EPA methods were used when available. The sampling and analysis activities characterized each input and output stream to the greatest degree possible. Typical input streams included: waste feed, auxiliary fuel, and control system makeup and recycle waters. Output streams generally included: stack gases, control device effluent (solid or liquid), and incinerator bottom ash. Each stream sampled was generally analyzed for organic constituents, chlorides, particulate or ash, and in some cases, metals. Summary of Results Analysis of the large amount of data collected led to many conclusions. Those related to ORE included: DREs for the incinerators tested were generally above 99.99%; ORE appears to be strongly correlated to the concentration of the POHC in the waste feed; no clear correla- tion between ORE and heat of combustion for POHCs was identified; the data from the eight tests suggest that POHC levels in scrubber water and ash were generally very low or nondetecta- ble; and some Appendix VIII compounds detected in the stack (primarily trihalo- . methanes) appear to be stripped from the scrubber water by the hot stack gas. Observations related to PICs included: stack gas concentrations of PICs were typically as high as or higher than those for POHC compounds in the stack and PIC output rate infrequently exceeded 0.01 % of POHC input rate. Three likely mechanisms that explained the presence of most PICs are: poor DREs for compounds present at low concentration in the waste feed; input of compounds to the system from sources other, than waste feed and actual products of combustion reaction. Benzene, toluene, chloroform, tetrachloroethylene, and naphthalene had a high potential for appearing as PICs. Other results were that compliance with the particulate standard of 180 mg/Nm3 was achieved at only half of the sites tested and HCI emissions were generally easily controlled to meet one of the two criteria specified in the regula- tions—less than 1.8 kg HCI/hr or greater than 99% removal efficiency. Carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbons provided indication of changes of incinerator performance and gross malfunctions in the combustion process but did not appear to be good predictors of POHC emissions or ORE for DREs in the vicinity of 99.99%. The full report describes the data analysis that led to the above conclusions and contains other discussions and con- clusions related to the sampling and analysis methods and data reduction. The sampling and analysis methods and quality assurance are fully documented in the appendices. A. Trenholm, P. Gorman, and G. Jungclaus are with Midwest Research Institute. Kansas City, MO 64110. Donald A. Oberacker is the EPA Project Officer (see below). The complete report consists of five volumes, entitled "Performance Evaluation of Full-Scale Hazardous Waste Incinerators:" (Set Order No. PB85-129492; Cost: $72.00, subject to change) "Volume I. Executive Summary," (Order No. PB 85-129 500; Cost: $8.50) "Volume!!. Incinerator Performance Results," (Order No. PB85-12951'8; Cost: $14.50) "Volume III. Appendices A and B," (Order No. PB 85-129 526; Cost: $ 16.00) "Volume IV. Appendices C through J, "(Order No. PB85-129 534; Cost: $28.00) "Volume V. Appendices K and L." (Order No. PB 85-129 542; Cost: $ 17.50) The above reports will be available only from: (cost subject to change) National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: 703-487-4650 The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at: Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Cincinnati, OH 45268 ft U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1985-559416/27057 United States Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Research Information Cincinnati OH 45268 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 OCOC329 PS U S ENVIR PROTECTION AGINCY RiGION 5 LIBRARY 230 S DfARBCRN STREET CHICAGO IL ------- |